


Zoo Crew: Amy's Plight

by KateCrane37



Category: Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (Cartoon)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:01:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27813439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KateCrane37/pseuds/KateCrane37
Summary: The next stop for the Zoo Crew is the headquarters of Hunter Corps. The problem is it is in the swamplands belonging to two feuding groups: The Grunge Roaches and a fractured group of the mute rats called the Hard Country Rats. To get through, they have to rely on an old friend of Amy to help them through the swamps. With both groups on their tails, Amy will have to get her emotions in line and rely on the ghosts of her past to help her through.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

Ch. 1: Amy’s Trouble

_Five Years Earlier_

At Ratland, Kipo, Wolf, Benson, and J.J. were having the time of their lives. Ratland’s reopening became a hit. Everyone was trying their luck with games, riding every ride, including the Ferris Wheel, and people were enjoying the veggie dogs and cotton candy.

Kipo was taking a bite of her cotton candy when Benson said, “A shame Dave had to work today. He would have enjoyed it.”

J.J. was about to bite into his dog when he saw a pair of Ratland rats in front of them.

“You two need help with anything?” J.J. asked.

“Yeah. We need help finding Amy. She ran off,” one rat said.

“What happened?” a shocked Kipo said.

“Brad died. He passed away in his sleep. Guess five years for a regular rat is a long time,” the second rat said, “Amy took it hard. We went to check on her at her apartment, but she was gone.”

“Oh no!” Kipo said. “We’ll help you guys find her,” J.J. said. “Let’s go!” Wolf said.

***

In a swamp outside of Ratland, Amy was crying and sobbing on a log. Tears were dripping down her face and into the swamp water. Amy covered her eyes when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw a roach mute in a torn, black shirt and jeans.

“Sorry, but I was walking by when I heard you cry,” the roach said as he got out his guitar, “Care to talk about it?” “Well…” Amy sobbed.

As the roach sat next to her, the bark between them spelled out “Zoo”.


	2. Map to Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Zoo Crew discover their next stop...in the Wetlands. Jamack and Dave warn them about what feud between the Grunge Roaches and the Hard Country Rats. Amy, meanwhile, has her own problem.

** Chapter 2: Map to Trouble **

_Five Years Later_

At Ratland, the Zoo Crew (along with Dave and Jamack) were in the food court part of it as Katie opened the map of the City. The map was dusty as it showed roads and locations of every building from two hundred years ago. Katie spoke up, “This map from the vault should tell us where to go. Hopefully, it will reveal the location of Hunter Corps Headquarters.”

“What makes you think we will find something there?” Copper asked.

“Hunter Corps is the company that made the mutagen,” Bill said, “They may have something about the mutagen that could help like lab reports, formulas, science journals, anything. They may even give some clue to where the Techno-saurs are hiding.”

As Katie and J.J. examined the map, Katie found something in the is what use to be the Las Vistas Wetlands. Within the wetlands is a place called Hunter Ground.

“I found something better: Hunter’s Ground,” Katie said.

“What’s that?” Label asked.

“Hunter’s Ground was the private estate of Rex Hunter, the owner and CEO of Hunter Corps. We can start there and see if it has anything.”

Jamack and Dave took a look at the map and showed a look of fear as they gave small screams.

“You dudes don’t want to go to the Wetlands!” Dave said as he and Jamack put their hands up in front of their chests.

“Why not?” J.J. said.

“The wetlands are home to the Grunge Roaches and the Hard Country Rats!” Jamack said.

“Wait! I thought all rats worked at Ratland!” Katie said, “And who are the Grunge Roaches?”

“Well first answer is that the Hard Country Rats are a gang of rats native to the swamp. Some mutes are subdivided into fraction groups,” Dave informed, “And the Hard Country Rats are not like the employees of Ratland. They are more rustic.”

“The answer to your second question is that the Grunge Roaches are hard-rocking insects in punk wear,” Jamack said.

“What’s the big deal?” J.J. asked, “I’m sure if we explain why…”

“No can do, J.J.,” Jamack said, “For as long as anyone can remember, both Mute groups have had a long-standing feud.”

“Why?” Katie asked.

“Not sure. Something to do with an ancient vermin rivalry,” Dave said, “All we know is that both Mute groups have been fighting over the wetlands for years.”

“If we need to reason with the Hard Country Rats, Amy might be our best chance to get through to them,” Katie said. Then she noticed Amy was not present. When Katie looked around, she asked, “Where is Amy?”

Label sighed when she turned right, “She is at that table there. I think we can take a guess what today is.”

Katie noticed that Amy is sitting alone with her back turned. Then she asked J.J., “Is Amy alright?”.

“Afraid not,” J.J. said, “Today is the fifth anniversary of when her friend Brad passed away.”

“What happened?”

Copper slithered in and said with anger, “Dr. Emilia was what happened! She “cured” Brad and turned him into a regular rat. Their lifespan is about three to five years, and poor Brad died of old age five years after he got “cured”.

Katie gulped.

Jamack slapped him on the back of his head and said with a glare, “Not behind Amy’s back, Copper.”

“Sorry, Amy,” Copper said to her, “I didn’t mean to bring it up like that.”

“It’s okay, Guys,” Amy said as she dried her eyes, “Besides, I know someone who can help us get through the wetlands.”

“You do?” Katie said.


	3. Amy's Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Zoo Crew meet up with a friend from Amy's past.

**Chapter 3: Amy’s Friend**

An hour later, Amy took them to the entry to the wetlands. They were hopping from one lily pad to the other. As they kept going, Katie aimed a look of concern toward Amy as she thought about what she had been through while losing her friend. Katie could not help but see how despondent Amy looked. As they hopped to two will trees, Amy started feeling one tree.

“Amy, what are you doing?” J.J. asked.

“My friend and I had a secret way of letting each other we’re here,” Amy said, “I’m just looking for the panel of my cassette.”

“Cassette?” Bill asked as he adjusted his glasses.

“Yeah. We would send out secret signals to each other,” Amy explained, “This way neither group would get suspicious.”

Amy felt an edge and opened a panel, revealing a small cassette player with a tape inside. She took it out and pressed the play button. The cassette player played heavy metal guitar as Amy pointed the player toward the left side of the wetlands. The rest of the Zoo Crew were grinding their teeth and they held their ears, feeling the pain of each note in their eardrums, except for a head-banging Copper. When Amy stopped the tape, they heard a buzzing noise.

“Oh boy! Now I’m hearing a buzz,” Label said. “

It’s not from the heavy metal music,” J.J. said, “Sounds like something is getting closer to us.”

The buzzing got louder as it got closer until an airboat stopped in front of them. The driver was a roach in ripped jeans, a torn black shirt, and a flannel jacket. He also had a bass guitar on his back. “Yo, Amy!” the roach hugged as he greeted her. “Hey, Ozzy,” Amy said, “Good to see you.”

The others were stunned that Amy’s old friend is a Grunge roach from the look of his appearance.

“Guys, this is Ozzy,” Amy introduced. “Yo! The Zoo Crew!” Ozzy greeted. “Uh… hi,” Katie said nervously.

“Ozzy, we need your help getting through the swamps without getting caught,” Amy said, “We need to find a specific place.”

“Sure, but we gotta keep low,” Ozzy said, “Both groups have been going at it more than usual.”

“Why?”

“Both sides have been getting weapons from these weird-looking lizards in armor.”

“The Techno-saurs have been selling weapons to both sides?” a frightened J.J. said.

“Yeah, and they have been going after each other with those weapons. The mutes in the Wetlands moved out because of how their homes have been destroyed. I tried to reason with my brothers, but they wouldn’t listen to me.”

“All the more reason we have to get through safely,” Katie said.

***

Ozzy drove our heroes through the swamp with slow and steady sounds.

Katie was next to Amy when she asked, “So, Amy, how do you and Ozzy know each other?”

“After Brad died, I ran into the wetlands crying. I knew my way around there because we grew up in the Eastside. I was crying to myself when Ozzy showed up to ask me what was wrong. I told him about everything that happened to me. Ozzy would play songs on his guitar to cheer me up. He said anytime I needed a friend that I can see him. He was always there to protect me. We were enjoying each other’s company until one day, my older brother Luke found out, he and his thugs were about to hurt him for going near me and trespassing on their turf until I told Kipo what was happening. Since then, we set up our music system to signal each other.”

“That explains the cassette player. You really miss your friend Brad though, huh?”

“Yeah. We built our park to bring mutes and surface humans together. During that time, I always had Brad by my side. With him gone, I didn’t know who to turn to until Ozzy came along.”

Katie put her arm around her.

“Just what is your brother Luke like?” Katie asked. “Let’s just say he puts meaning to the term Big Brother. He is also the leader of the Hard Country Rats.”

Something caught Amy’s eyes. She saw a dark at in the shadows with the same eyes as Brad. Amy rubbed her eyes and looked again, but the shadow was gone.


	4. The Shadow of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A black rat appears before Amy's eyes and leads her to trouble.

** Chapter 4: The Shadow of the Past **

****

Ozzy silenced the motor of his airboat until it stopped near cattails as big as the Zoo Crew sticking out of the water. The others were baffled as to why.

“Why are we stopping?” J.J. asked.

“Shh. We just entered the line between the two clans,” Ozzy informed, “We must be extra quiet. If both clans hear us and see Amy and me together, it will get messy.”

“He’s right,” Bill whispered, “We don’t know what kind of weapons were given to them.”

J.J. and Label ripped six cattails from the water and tossed them to the others.

“We’ll use the cattails to row,” J.J. said, “Ozzy, how far is it from the estate?”

“We’re halfway there,” Ozzy said.

The others begin to row the airboat with the reeds. As the boat glided in silence, Amy saw a shadow somewhere in the reeds. Amy squinted and gasped with shock. The black rat had magenta eyes and wearing the Ratland uniform as it stared at her from the water.

“B-Brad?” she muttered as she shed tears.

Katie put her hand on her shoulder. Then, she said something shocking, “Did you see that black rat following us?”

“You saw him too?” Amy asked.

“Yeah. You know him?”

“I-It…looked like Brad,” Amy sobbed.

“Brad? But I thought he died.”

The Black Rat suddenly disappeared within the water. Amy was so shocked to see him disappear. She jumped off the boat and waddled through the water as Katie, Ozzy, and J.J. chased after her.

“Amy, stop!” J.J. shouted.

“Don’t go to that side, Girl!” Ozzy cried.

“Amy!” Katie called.

“I have to see him!” Amy cried.

Amy went into the reeds and looked around like a fanatic as she cried his name, “Brad! Brad?!”

As Amy cried for him, two shadows overtook her from behind. Amy looks above and saw two roaches in ripped jeans and skull t-shirts with green-dyed hair pointing two guns at Amy. A roach with a purple mohawk and a spikey jacket showed up from behind and said, “Look what the rat dragged in.”

Amy trembled as she winced in fear.


End file.
